Through no fault of his own, WEC featherweight Mark Hominick (17-8 MMA, 1-2 WEC) hadn’t seen the inside of a cage in almost 18 months prior to his WEC 46 win over Bryan Caraway.

A brief illness, coupled with the financial woes of a handful of Canadian and U.S.-based organization, meant Hominick went
through five training camps during that time without actually getting to fight.

It’s for that reason Hominick wasn’t going to be denied his Jan. 10 contest, even if it meant getting married during the middle of his training camp.

“I got married, so the one week we went away (on a honeymoon), I was training the whole time,” Hominick recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “It was right in the middle of camp, but the wedding was planned well before the fight was.

“It was all planned and paid for well in advance, and it was pretty hard to get out of it.”

So Hominick took a brief break in his camp to exchange vows and celebrate his new union. But even while vacationing in Mexico’s Mayan Riviera, the Canadian fighter kept a strict training regimen.

“The week I was there, I just focused on keeping my conditioning up,” Hominick said. “Every morning I would get up, do my run – I run five miles – and then do the [Bas Rutten MMA Workout] tape. In the afternoon, I’d do my weights, so I’d still get two workouts in a day.

“It was actually a lot easier. I have a lot more on my plate when I’m at home, so it was nice to just relax and get some training in.”

The non-traditional approach worked for Hominick, and he earned a first-round submission win over the WEC newcomer.

Now after such a long period of time away from competition, Hominick said he’s ready to get right back into action.

“Right now, I’m just maintaning my strength and just keep getting better. It was just good to get back in the WEC. That’s where it’s at right now. They’re going to be here for a long time, and I’m glad to be a part of them again.”

Hominick said the bout was first of a five-fight deal with the WEC, and he hopes to use the run to elevate himself to the promotion’s elite-level status.

“I plan on putting some wins together and taking a shot at some of the top guys,” Hominick said. “That’s what I’m here for. I’m not here to be a guy that just puts on good fights. I want to be a contender and fight in the main events of these shows.”

And while “The Machine’s” next step has yet to be determined, he’s willing to assist the WEC’s matchmaker, Sean Shelby, with a plan.

Hominick was originally scheduled to face fellow Canadian Yves Jabouin (14-5 MMA, 0-1 WEC) at WEC 46 before injury forced “Tiger” out of the matchup. Hominick said he’s been trying to face Jabouin for nearly a decade, and the time has finally come to make the bout a reality.

“That’s who I want,” Hominick said. “I’ve wanted to fight [Jabouin] for 10 years. We came up in the same kind of cards in Quebec, and I always had the title, and he always wanted to take a shot at me. Every interview he said he wanted to fight me, and then whenever the fight got made, he never took it, or there would be some reason the fight didn’t happen. That’s who we want.

“These fight should have happened years ago. Now we can do it on the big stage, and I think it would be a great fight. Two standup guys, and we can put on a show.”

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